“Elles” finds Binoche playing Anne, a journalist assigned to write a story on young women moonlighting as prostitutes to pay their way through college. Anne, who has caught her husband viewing pornography, takes a keen interest in learning about the type of men that solicit sex services.

In an interview with the U.K.'s Independent, Binoche revealed that she was “shocked” and confused when she discovered that one of her former boyfriends had watched porn during their relationship.

“I was really shocked because I didn't understand it,” she said. “Lovemaking for me is related to feelings and sensations with feelings, and so when you don't have the feelings it becomes animal-like because you're not in touch with your heart. There's a sad and pathetic side to it.

“A lot of men take porn as not that important, not that serious, whereas women tend to take it personally,” the French star continued. “It's like, 'How can he make love to me after watching something like this?”